Project: NACA

Product and Branding Identity System: Native American Cultural Apparel

NACA envisions a design practice where meaning is translated into form, fostering awareness, relationship, and return.

This project explores the visual and symbolic relationship between animals and Native American cultural traditions through a contemporary graphic design lens. Inspired by the structural rhythm of totem pole carvings and Indigenous storytelling traditions, I developed a series of stylized animal icons representing symbolic spirit animals including the bear, wolf, rabbit, deer, beaver, and horse. The icons were designed using simplified geometric forms and symmetrical compositions to echo the vertical visual language commonly found in carved totems and symbolic animal figures.

Services

UX/UI design, brand system, motion concept

Client

United Native American Association

Year

2026

Credits

Concept, design, and presentation direction

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01: Inspiration

NACA is a branding campaign rooted in cultural respect and personal identity. As a Native American designer, I used this project to explore my own heritage while creating a contemporary visual system that celebrates Indigenous culture. The goal was to build awareness through thoughtful design, using apparel and storytelling as a platform to honor Native voices, inspire conversation, and bridge the connection between tradition and modern culture.

02: Logo

The NACA logo merges a contemporary wordmark with a stylized Indigenous figure to create an identity that celebrates Native American heritage through modern design. The simplified geometry ensures versatility across print, digital, and apparel applications, while the accompanying symbolic color system references traditional beadwork, storytelling, and the diversity of Indigenous cultures.

03: Graphical Layout

The NACA graphic system expands the brand through bold typography, Native-inspired illustrations, and a flexible color palette. Designed for consistency across multiple touchpoints, the visual language balances cultural symbolism with contemporary minimalism, creating a cohesive identity that reflects community, craftsmanship, and cultural pride.

04: Clothing Label

05: Merch

06: Pop-Up Store

This pop-up store reimagines retail as a modular storytelling environment, where brand identity is translated into spatial form. Inspired by the idea of cultural building blocks, the structure uses stacked geometric units to represent the layering of community, tradition, and contemporary design. Each surface becomes a canvasfeaturing symbolic animal iconography and a soft yet intentional color system that reflects both heritage and modern accessibility.

The circular centerpiece anchors the experience, acting as a gathering point that contrasts with the linear retail counter. This balance between fluid and structured forms creates a rhythm within the space, encouraging movement, discovery, and interaction. The design prioritizes clarity and warmth, allowing the brands voice to feel both grounded and approachable while maintaining a strong visual identity.

Creating visual systems, motion, and stories that invite curiosity.

Contact

626.393.8701

Southern California

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Studio

Crafted with intention.

Built with care.

Always evolving.

© 2026 Andrew Ian Barba. All rights reserved.

Designed & developed in Framer.